Trending: Where we work for ourselves

Jennifer Strom Simonte poses next to an example of maternity dress she markets through her self-employed business at her home in Westport, Conn. on Friday July 25, 2014.

Westport resident Jennifer Strom Simonte was 31 when she first launched her own company on the streets of Chicago. Now, a decade later, she’s based in southwestern Connecticut, and her business Belly Dance Maternity has blossomed into a national brand in the maternity fashion realm.

Balancing a company that employs about 20 people and motherhood isn’t always easy, but Simonte credits her success to her super-human energy levels, which have helped her power through 20 hour days.

“I think the energy comes naturally, because you have to get things done,” she said. “On a typical day, I wake up, get the kids to school, work out, come home, work until they’re home from school, then I’ll pick them up, spend time with them and after they go to bed, I work some more. It’s late nights a lot but I make that choice because it’s important for me to be there when my kids are home from school.”

Simonte’s town of Westport has the highest share of people who work for themselves of all 32 towns in southwestern Connecticut.

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No. 32: Naugatuck. 6.6 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

No. 32: Naugatuck. 6.6 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

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No. 31: Ansonia. 6.7 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

No. 31: Ansonia. 6.7 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

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No. 30: Derby. 7.1 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

No. 30: Derby. 7.1 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

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No. 29: Bridgeport. 7.4 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

No. 29: Bridgeport. 7.4 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Photo: Cathy Zuraw / Cathy Zuraw

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No. 28: Seymour. 8.1 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

No. 28: Seymour. 8.1 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

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No. 27: Milford. 9.6 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

No. 27: Milford. 9.6 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Photo: Autumn Driscoll / Autumn Driscoll

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No. 26: Stratford. 9.9 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

No. 26: Stratford. 9.9 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Photo: Autumn Driscoll / Autumn Driscoll

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No. 25: Oxford. 10 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

No. 25: Oxford. 10 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

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No. 24: Shelton. 10.1 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

No. 24: Shelton. 10.1 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

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No. 23: Danbury. 10.8 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

No. 23: Danbury. 10.8 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Photo: Rick Gottschalk / Getty Images

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No. 22: New Milford. 11.3 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

No. 22: New Milford. 11.3 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Photo: Norm Cummings / Norm Cummings

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No. 21: Monroe. 12 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

No. 21: Monroe. 12 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

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No. 20: Southbury. 12.2 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

No. 20: Southbury. 12.2 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

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No. 19: Bethel. 12.3 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

No. 19: Bethel. 12.3 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

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No. 18: New Fairfield. 12.4 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

No. 18: New Fairfield. 12.4 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Photo: Michael Duffy / Michael Duffy

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No. 17: Norwalk. 13.1 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

No. 17: Norwalk. 13.1 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Photo: Todd Tracy / Todd Tracy

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No. 16: Trumbull. 13.4 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

No. 16: Trumbull. 13.4 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

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No. 15: Stamford. 14.2 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

No. 15: Stamford. 14.2 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Photo: Keelin Daly / Keelin Daly

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No. 14: Orange. 14.4 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

No. 14: Orange. 14.4 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Photo: Christian Abraham / Christian Abraham

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No. 13: Darien. 14.9 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

No. 13: Darien. 14.9 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Photo: Jeanna Petersen Shepard / Jeanna Petersen Shepard

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No. 12: Fairfield. 15.5 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

No. 12: Fairfield. 15.5 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Photo: John Rizzitelli Photography / Getty Images/Flickr Open

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No. 11: Newtown. 15.6 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

No. 11: Newtown. 15.6 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Photo: Michael Duffy / Michael Duffy

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No. 10: Brookfield. 17.2 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

No. 10: Brookfield. 17.2 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Photo: Carol Kaliff / Carol Kaliff

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No. 9: Ridgefield. 17.3 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

No. 9: Ridgefield. 17.3 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

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No. 8: Sherman. 17.4 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

No. 8: Sherman. 17.4 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Photo: Norm Cummings / Norm Cummings

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No. 7: Wilton. 18.2 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

No. 7: Wilton. 18.2 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

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No. 6: Greenwich. 18.3 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

No. 6: Greenwich. 18.3 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Photo: Bob Luckey / Bob Luckey

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No. 5: Redding. 18.9 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

No. 5: Redding. 18.9 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

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No. 4: New Canaan. 20 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

No. 4: New Canaan. 20 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

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No. 3: Easton. 20.3 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

No. 3: Easton. 20.3 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

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No. 2: Weston. 24.3 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

No. 2: Weston. 24.3 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

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No. 1: Westport. 29 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

No. 1: Westport. 29 percent of workers here are self-employed, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Photo: Paul Schott / Paul Schott

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Trending: Where we work for ourselves

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And Westport isn’t alone. As a whole, the Bridgeport-Stamford Metropolitan Statistical Area, which covers the same area as Fairfield Countyhas one of the highest shares of workers who are self-employed among the nation’s largest metros.